Still
by Chasyn
Summary: Spoilers for 3:04. (Duh!) I am SHATTERED over the death of SOMEONE! SO I WROTE THIS! It is short and awful and I don't care and there you go! - Isabella wanted to say goodbye. (Charlotte Wells/Lady Isabella Fitzwilliam) (Also this site only has Amelia or Violet as characters. WHAT!)


I WROTE THIS THE OTHER DAY AT WORK TO DEAL! I AM DISTRAUGHT! I AM SHATTERED! THEY KILLED MY CHARLOTTE! This is a quick, crappy thing. It's unbeta'd and also un-author read. I typed it and posted before I had to sleep. BECAUSE I NEEDED TO AND I COULDN'T READ IT AGAIN! Anyways, this takes place in the DREADED EPISODE 3:04. Spoilers, but yeah. Anyone reading this should know already THAT CHARLOTTE IS DEAD AND I LOVE HER AND ISABELLA!

**Still**

"I loved her... love... loved..." Tears collected in the corners of her eyes. She fought to keep them at bay. There would be time enough for that later. She turned for a moment and closed her eyes. Images of Charlotte's smile flashed in her mind. Moment after countless precious moment she spent in the woman's company. For a second, she staggered under their weight. She threw out her arm and grabbed onto whatever she could. Wall, doorframe, fireplace mantle, chair, another person. She hadn't the faintest idea. But whatever it was, it was solid and kept her grounded as she attempted to collect herself.

"Lady Fitzwilliam..."

A hand was suddenly on her shoulder, the touch timid and light. She turned and nodded at the youngest Wells daughter. "Isabella." She corrected with a sad smile.

Lucy nodded her head and offered her own sad smile. "She loved you." She said softly.

Isabella sucked in a breath and looked away. She wasn't sure how much she believed Lucy's words. She wanted to, with all her heart and soul. But a harlot's words of another harlot's emotions...

Lucy stepped closer and dropped her voice as she continued. "We are taught not to feel, not to care. That love isn't a thing except between family. Falling in love is a pitiful fairytale." Lucy paused for a moment and glanced at her sister's still body. "I don't know what I believe." She breathed out. "But I knew my sister. I saw her love for you."

Isabella sucked in a breath and looked away. She didn't want to fall apart. Not now, not here, not yet. She would have her time. "Thank you, child."

"You were good to her..." Lucky continued softly. "Good for her... to all of us." Her gaze dropped to the floor. "We are not good people..."

Isabella turned swiftly to the grieving young woman. "You are." The Lady said, reaching for Lucy. She pulled the young harlot to her without a note of hesitation. She pressed Lucy against her and held tightly. "Every one of you."

Lucy closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around the Lady for a moment. Then she pulled away and rubbed at her eyes.

Isabella cleared her throat and stepped closer to where Margaret Wells sat, still hunched over and clutching to her first born. Charlotte had long since grown still and cold. But Margaret held on and whispered barely audible words to her daughter as if any moment she might wake. Isabella stopped beside the woman. "When you... have finished..." She started softly, her voice just above a whisper. "I would like a few moments alone with her... if you don't mind, of course. To say... goodbye..."

Margaret lifted Charlotte's hand to her lips and pressed a kiss to it. She breathed in deeply and exhaled it. "Clear the room." She said loudly as she detached herself from her daughter and stood up.

Isabella stepped back, her eyes wide. "Take your time." She said quickly. "I am in no rush. I do not mean to interrupt your grief."

Margaret Wells lifted her eyes and shifted her steady gaze upon the Lady Fitzwilliam. She stared, for a long, hard minute without blinking. Isabella actually squirmed for a moment and glanced at the floor. A slow, sad smile spread across Margaret's face. "You were good for her." She said softly. "Thank you for that. I am in your debt."

Isabella's eyes widened again as she lifted her eyes to meet Margaret's again. "No!" She stepped forward and reached out to clasp Margaret's hands between her down. "No! I am forever in yours. Knowing her has changed my life forever."

Margaret's smile widened a bit and she nodded her head. "We will give you the room." She said, pulling her hands away. "Jacob." She turned slightly and held her arm out. The boy practically plastered himself to his mother's side. Margaret wrapped her arm around him and pulled him towards the door. Lucy followed her mom out with one last look at her sister's body. The others followed as well. Nancy nodded at Isabella as she slipped out the door and pulled it shut.

Until Isabella was left alone with the only real companion she'd ever known. She hesitated. It was a foolish thing to do, to hesitate. She was alone. She wouldn't be overheard. She had faith that Charlotte's family would see to that. But even though, she found herself hesitating. It seemed such a trivial thing, saying goodbye to someone who was dead. Charlotte wouldn't be able to hear her. Or maybe she would. Isabella didn't pretend to understand the afterlife, if there was such a thing. "If heaven is a thing... then I pray God is indeed merciful and judges a person on merit and heart... strength and kindness." She stepped closer. She knelt down beside the chaise and pulled her skirts up under her. She lifted her hands and hesitated again. For just a moment, this time, before she grabbed Charlotte's hand between hers.

And finally, she let the tears fall. They flowed from her eyes and down her face like a river. "You changed my life." She said through the tears. "Before you... I had resigned myself to dying alone. No one had touched me since my brother forced himself on me the night Sophia was conceived." She paused for a moment, surprised at herself for saying it aloud. It was her greatest secret but Charlotte had known. Isabella shook herself and breathed out. "I hadn't wanted anyone to touch me... in truth... you were the first in my life who asked... who cared what I wanted... you were the first... that I lusted after... you were the first I welcomed into my bed... the first who I welcomed into my life..." She paused again and set her eyes on Charlotte's face.

Charlotte's eyes were closed. The color was still on her cheeks and her hair was still curled and set. For a moment, it looked like she was just asleep. Like any moment she would open her eyes and smile and the room would be full of her voice again.

"You were the first I loved, Charlotte Wells." The Lady's voice cracked as she said her beloved's name. "I loved you... I love you still. I will love you until the day I die. There will never be another match for me as you were." Her grief had begun to slow a bit as the words spilled from her. She lifted one of the folds of her skirts and touched it to her face. She gently wiped the tears from her face and breathed in deeply. "Truer words have never been spoken in this house and it pains me that I never told you before." She dropped her skirt and leaned forward. Slowly, she brought her face closer to Charlotte's. She pressed her lips against the still woman's for a brief moment before pulling back.

"Goodbye, my Charlotte." Lady Isabella said softly, her voice full of love and regret. She looked away and turned, about to stand.

"Isa... bella..."

**-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-**

**Author's Notes:** I dun know. This turned out a bit different than I anticipated. I might write more. For now, I feel better.


End file.
